Switch and handle control support



Dec. 1, 1964 M w. HELM 3,159,725

SWITCH AND HANDLE CONTROL SUPPORT Filed July 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 1, 1964 M. w. HELM 3,159,726

SWITCH AND HANDLE CONTROL SUPPORT Filed July 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,159,726 SWITCH AND HANDLE CONTROL SUPPORT Mark W. Hahn, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 15, 1960, Ser. No. 43,039 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-52) The present invention relates to electric floor polishers and more particularly to a unitary supporting bracket for a switch, switch actuator and handle control for the appliance.

An object of the invention is to provide a single metal bracket for supporting the handle control, switch and switch actuator on the body of the floor polisher. Another object is to provide a bracket for supporting a switch and switch actuator, both of which have a common reference point on the bracket to reduce manufacturing tolerances whereby efficient operation of the switch is assured. A further object is to provide the aforesaid bracket with a shaft for attaching a propelling handle, the axis of such shaft serving as the common reference point to reduce the number of manufacturing tolerances on the parts supported on the bracket. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a floor polisher embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a broken view partly in section showing the bracket and handle bail,

FIGURE 3 is a View taken along line 3-3 in FIG- URE 2 showing the handle and switch in inoperative position, and

FIGURE 4 is a similar view showing the handle and switch in operative position.

An embodiment of the invention is disclosed on a floor polisher comprisin" a body it supported on brushes 11 and mounted on the body is an unshown electric motor enclosed in a housing 12 A handle 13 projects from the body and attached thereto is an electric conductor cord 14 having a plug 15 adapted to be connected to a source of current.

A U-shaped metal bracket 16 is provided for supporting a switch, switch actuator, handle control and handle and includes a bight portion 17 and upwardly extending legs 18 and 19. The bracket is secured to the body 11 by screws only one of which is shown. A shaft 21 is rotatably mounted in the bracket 16 by providing one end 22 with opposed fiat sides 23 seated in the bearing portion 2% of a switch actuator 25 and the bearing 24 is journaled in the bracket leg 19. The opposite shaft portion 26 is circular and is rotatably supported in the bracket leg 18 and terminates in a reduced end 27 which projects through the housing wall 28.

Rigidly attached to the reduced end 27 of the shaft 21 is a radia ly projecting member 29 the outer end of which is fixedly secured by a screw 39 to one arm 31 of the bail 32 for the handle 13, and the lower end of the bail arm 31 is also attached to the reduced end 27 of the shaft 21 whereby the handle bail 32 and shaft 21 are rotated as a unit in the bracket 16. The other bail arm 33 is rotatably supported on one end 34 of a rod 35 arranged in axial alignment with the shaft 21 and the rod 35 is provided with a fiat portion 36 which rests on the body at 37 and is rigidly secured thereto by a screw 33 threaded into the body. The bail arms 31 and 33 are respectively retained on the shaft 21 and rod 35 by an angular member 39 having a portion 40 abutting one end of the shaft 21 and the rod 35, and another portion 41 is welded to a threaded boss 42 which extends downwardly through the lower wall 43 of the motor housing and is secured to the body 10 by a screw 44.

In order to prevent vibration of the polisher body it) being transmitted to the handle 13 when the brushes 11 are rotating a coiled compression spring 45 is arranged about the shaft 21 and has one end 46 seated against the bracket leg 18 and the opposite end 47 bears against a pressure plate 48 which abuts a friction washer 49 nested in a recess 50 of the switch actuator 25. Rotation of the pressure plate 43 is prevented by an offset portion 51 provided with a recess 52 which receives a rod 53 rigidly mounted in the bracket legs 18 and 19. The spring 45 exerts a force between the two bracket legs 13 and 19 to dampen vibrations between the body 11 and handle 13.

Also mounted on the bracket 16 is a control for the handle 13 and which comprises a lever 55 and a sector 56. The sector 56 is rigidly secured to the non-circular end 22 of the shaft 21 .djaoent the bracket leg 19 and is provided with three spaced lugs 57, 5S and 5?. The lug 59 on the sector 56 engages a projecting portion of the rod 53 to limit movement of the handle 13 to its vertical inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 3. The control lever 55 is pivotally supported on a pin 69 mounted in the bracket leg 19 and has a rearwardly extending portion 61 provided with a pad 62 to receive the operators foot. Forwardly of the pivot pin 6i) is an up. ardly extending arm 63 provided with a pawl 64" which is adapted to receive the sector lug 57 and prevent downward movement of the handle 13 from its vertical storage position. The pawl 64 also receives the sector lug 558 to limit movement of the handle 13 to its lower substan tially horiozntal position. The lever arm terirdnates in a hook 655 on which is seated one end of a tension spring 66 the opposite end of which is connected to a hook 67 formed on the bracket leg 19. The spring 66 at all times urges the lever 55 to move in a clockwise direction about the pin 6a to position the pawl 64 to receive the sector lugs 57 and 58 to control movement of the handle 13. Counterclockwise movement of the lever 55 is limited by a lug 63 on the lower lever arm -59 engaging the sector 55 as shown in FIGURE 4.

A switch 79 is supported on the bracket leg 19 by two bolts '71 projecting through openings in the leg 19. The switch is provided with two leads 72-73 for connection with the motor and conductor cord 14 in a manner well known in the art. The switch 76 is the push t pe and is normally in closed circuit position when the plunger '74 is in its projected position. The switch actuator 25 supported on the shaft 21 is provided with an offset operating cam surface which is positioned relative to the switch button 74 whereby the cam 75 engages the button 74 to move the latter inwardly of the switch to open circuit the latter when the handle 13 is moved to its vertical or inoperative position, and as the handle is moved rearward toward its operating position the switch operating cam 75 is removed from contact with the push button 74 and the switch 7%} closes to energize the motor.

In order to assemble the parts onto the bracket 16 to provide a unitm'y attachment for the floor polisher the member 2 9 for the bail arm 31 is brazed or welded to the circular end 2.7 of the shaft 21 and the non-circular end 22 of the shaft is inserted through the bracket leg 13. The compression spring 45, pressure plate 43, Washer 49 and switch actuator 25 are positioned on the shaft 21 and the bearing portion 24 is rotatably seated in the bracket leg 19. The handle control sector 56 is then rigidly afiixed, as by peening, to the end 22 of the shaft 21 and secures the shaft and the assembled parts to the bracket 16. Thereafter the handle control level 55 is pivotally supported on the bracket leg 19 by means of the pin (it) and the tension spring 66 is attached to the hooks 65-67. The switch 71) is properly positioned on the bracket leg 19 relative to the switch operating cam 75 by means of the bolts 71. The foregoing assembly is attached as a unit to the body 1% of the polisher by means of the screws 26 The handle ba l arms .31 and 33 are then respectively attached to the end 27 of the shaft 21 and the rod 34-, the member 29 being attached by the screw 3% to the bail arm 31 positions the handle in proper relation to the switch and the switch actuating member 25.

In operation when the handle 13 is in the vertical or inoperative position shown in FIGURE 3, the pawl 64 is seated against the sector log 57 by means of spring 66 and maintains the handle in such position. The sector lug 59 abuts the rod 53 and limits forward movement of the handle 35. The switch actuating cam 75 bears against the switch button 7d maintaining the latter in its oil? position to tie-energize the motor. When the operator applies a downward force on th lever $5 the pawl 64 is disengaged from the sector lug :7 and the handle 13 can then be moved downwardly and rearwardly causing the cam '75 to move out of engagement with the push button 74, as shown in FIGURE 4 to thereby energize the motor. Downward movement of the handle 13 is limited by the sector lug 5S abutting the pawl 64.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that the bracket 16 supports the switch 7%, switch actuator 25, handle sector 56 and handle control lever 55 and all the parts are positioned relative to the axis of the shaft 21 thereby providing only one common reference point for all manufacturing tolerances.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that'this embodiment is to be taken as illustrative only and not in 9. limiting sense. I do not wisn to be limited to the particular structure shown and described but to include all eqi ivalent variations except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In an electrical appliance, a body, bracket means mounted on said bod shaft means, means rotatably attaching said shaft means on said bracket means, a handle, means attaching said handle to said shaft means for movement of said handle about the axis of said shaft means to operative and inoperative positions, an electric switch supported on said bracket means and having force receiving surface means positioned normal to the axis of szdd shaft means, switch actuating means supported on said shaft means for movement with said handle into operative engagement with said force receiving surface means to respectively close and open said switch upon movement of said handle to its said operative and inoperative positions, said switch and actuating means arranged relative to the axis of said shaft means whereby manufacturing tolerances therefor are common to the axis of said shaft means, and handle control means including sector means and pawl means one of which is supported on said shaft means and the other on said bracket means and removably engageable to permit movement of said handle .to its said difierent positions.

2. An article of manufacture for use with an electrical appliance of the type having a body, a handle and an electric switch, comprising: bracket adapted to be mounted on the appliance body, shaft means rotatably mounted on said bracket means,'means for attaching the appliance handle to said shaft means for movement of said handle about the axis of said shaft means to operative and inoperative positions, means for supporting the appliance switch on said bracket means in fixed relation to said axis of said shaft means, switch actuating means supported on said shaft means for movement with said handle, said switch actuating means including a portion arranged at a fixed distance relative to said axis of said shaft means for operative engagement with said switch to respectively close open the latter upon movement of'said handle to its operative and inoperative positions, a control means for said handle including sector means and pawl means one of which is supported on said shaft means and the other on said bracket means and removably engageable to permit movement of said handle to its said diiferent positions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,356,663 Spielrnan Oct. 26, 1920 2,014,748 Engberg et al. May 26, 1936 2,423,361 Wood July 1, 1947 2,841,663 Anderson July 1, 1958 2,871,593 Senne Feb. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 301,843 Germany Nov. 7, 1917 1,069,745 Germany Nov. 26, 1959 289,396 Great Britain Oct. 11, 1928 

1. IN AN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE, A BODY, BRACKET MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BODY, SHAFT MEANS, MEANS ROTATABLY ATTACHING SAID SHAFT MEANS ON SAID BRACKET MEANS, A HANDLE, MEANS ATTACHING SAID HANDLE TO SAID SHAFT MEANS FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID HANDLE ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT MEANS TO OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE POSITIONS, AN ELECTRIC SWITCH SUPPORTED ON SAID BRACKET MEANS AND HAVING FORCE RECEIVING SURFACE MEANS POSITIONED NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT MEANS, SWITCH ACTUATING MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID SHAFT MEANS FOR MOVEMENT WITH SAID HANDLE INTO OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FORCE RECEIVING SURFACE MEANS TO RESPECTIVELY CLOSE AND OPEN SAID SWITCH UPON 